No ladies and gentlemen, your eyes do not deceive you.  If you look closely at the photograph, you do indeed see a small Mercedes-Benz model train photoshopped on top of an S-Class hood.

In an effort to appeal to the millions of model train fans throughout the world, Mercedes is releasing a limited edition freight train consisting of a locomotive and, are you ready for this - three double-decker transport carriages holding 24 silver chromium-plated S-Class models. According to the press release, the models will be in 1/87 scale and feature the utmost attention to detail.  Only 1,200 model trains are scheduled to be produced, and they'll set you back about $760 bucks...

Keep Reading "Choo-Choo!  Mercedes-Benz Model Train Is Coming"

Growing up, one of my favorite movies was Back to the Future.  As a kid I remember watching it and thinking how cool it would be to have a car that could take you back in time.  Enter the CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet, a car so fast it can reverse the space-time continuum and send you hurtling back 30 years...  Ok, so maybe it's not that fast, but it's fast enough to make time stop - even if it's just for a few seconds while you feel yourself being propelled from 0-60 in what feels like the blink of an eye.

If you're not familiar with the CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet, it's a Mercedes based on Bernard Schneider's 2003 DTM Championship winning CLK, one of the German Touring Car Master's most successful cars.  The wickedly fast four-seater is powered by a 582 horsepower AMG 5.5-Liter V8.  But this isn't your momma's AMG V8, oh no.  To achieve maximum performance Mercedes has specifically reengineered the AMG engine by modifying the crankcase, pistons, valve gear, cooling, intake manifold, supercharger and exhaust system.  On top of all this, Mercedes added an AMG Speedshift five-speed automatic transmission, which uses shift paddles on the steering wheels to provide extremely short shift times...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Introduces World's Fastest Open-Top Four-Seater"

We all know the harsh reality:  you're sitting at home, patiently waiting for next spring when you'll be the first person to get your hands on a shiny new S-Class.  Spring finally arrives, and you run to the local Mercedes dealer to pick up your baby that you pre-ordered six months in advance.  You're so excited, you think to yourself "Oh yeah, there's no way anyone else got an S-Class before me."  Lo and behold, as you drive to your local pub to brag to all your friends about how you're the only one rolling in a 2007 S-Class, what do you see?  Ten people driving the exact same S-Class as you.  So what do you do?  Accessorize baby.  And you're in luck, because Mercedes just added two options to spruce up the somewhat stale S-Class - an AMG body kit and AMG wheels...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Adds AMG Options To S-Class"

In a follow up to our last post, Mercedes has released the technical details of the new S350 Direct Hybrid and the S320 Bluetec Hybrid. Among the tech specs, a few highlights include 292 horsepower and 243 horsepower combustion engines combined with 6kW/8.2 horsepower electric motors, redesigned exhaust gas treatment systems, and a decrease in fuel consumption over their non-hybrid counterparts by 25% and 20%, respectively. The two concept vehicles sport 0-60 mph times of a little over 7 seconds, as well as a top speed of 155 (electronically limited). You can check out the full list of technical specifications after the jump...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Introduces Hybrid S-Class Part Two"

Today, Mercedes is unveiling two concept cars at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt:  The "Direct Hybrid" and the "Bluetec Hybrid."  Both concept vehicles use the S-Class as the platform, and demonstrate hybrid technology combined with petrol and diesel engines.  Mercedes' goal with the two vehicles was "...to make petrol cars as efficient as diesels and diesels as clean as petrol cars."

To accomplish this task, Mercedes first developed the Direct Hybrid, which uses a petrol 3.5-Liter V6 along with a high-torque electric motor.  They then added a second generation spray-guided direct injection system that will offer considerable fuel savings, much like its diesel counterpart...

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If the words "post-modern," "urban chic" and "hung like a light switch" apply to you (ok, you can cancel the last one), the designers over at Smart have a dope ride for you.

The new Smart Crosstown show car is based on Smart's current fourtwo model, and according to the press release, "...this car turns every drive into an urban jungle adventure." I know what you're thinking and believe me, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

The Smart Crosstown features a stowaway windscreen, a tridion safety-cell made of high-strength steel, and of course, urban flare throughout.  Some highlights include an instrument panel adorned in graffiti in your choice of five different expletives, used-look leather, skate wheels, and pedals styled after mountain bike pedals...

Keep reading "Smart Invites You On An Urban Jungle Adventure"

At the International Auto Show this year, Mercedes is unveiling two never before seen models - the ML 63 AMG and the Vision R 63 AMG.  We've brought you both the stories before, so we won't bore you with specifics, but today Mercedes has released more photos of the two models.  As always, the AMG versions of both vehicles look great, even the world's fastest minivan.  The full press release and photos follow after the jump...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Unveils AMG Models In Frankfurt"

We've been talking about it for the past couple months, but today, Dieter Zetsche, head of the Mercedes Car Group, finally unveiled the all-new 2007 Mercedes S-Class.

As previously mentioned, Mercedes has completely redesigned the S-Class, introducing a host of safety features never before seen on an automobile.  A few of the new features include a night view assist system, which uses infrared technology and cameras to view the road and send the images back to the driver, as well as  Brake Assist Plus, which uses two radar systems to help drivers apply necessary braking pressure in the event of an emergency...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Unveils New 2007 S-Class"

With the start of the International Auto Show, Mercedes is releasing so many press releases we don't know what to do with all of them.  So stay tuned, and we'll get them out as quick as we can.  Let's jump right in shall we?

Our first story of the day is for those of you with a little extra cash to burn.  If you're one of the elite few lucky enough to own a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, soon you'll have more options when it comes to personalizing your vehicle.  Buyers will have the option of 13 different paint colors, 18 or 19-inch wheels, and their choice of interior leather and color, including an all new untreated Silver Arrow leather developed exclusively for the SLR.  In total, buyers will have 76 possible combinations of paints and colors to choose from...

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In racing news, my boy Kimi Räikkönen won his second straight Belgian Grand Prix today, edging out his teammate Juan Pablo Montoya and Renault's Fernando Alonso.

Montoya led much of the race before losing the top spot to his teammate during a pit stop.  With three laps to go, Montoya collided with Antonio Pizzonia, allowing Alonso to move into second place while Räikkönen easily took first.

Alonso now leads Räikkönen 111 to 86 in the race for the F1 title.  All Alonso needs is one top three finish in any of the three remaining races to clinch the top spot...

Keep Reading "Räikkönen Dominates Belgian Grand Prix"

Our good friends over at autoblog.nl emailed us this morning telling us to check out the new Fisker Tramonto.  If you've never heard of Fisker before, it's a company founded by Hendrik Fisker, the former Director of Design for Aston Martin.  He's responsible for the DB-9 and the AM-V8 Vantage, two cars that I absolutely love.  Basically, Fisker's new company takes standard cars, in this case the SL 55 AMG, and "Fiskerizes" them, molding them after his own design.

Before delving into specifics about the car, I have to warn you. I love the standard SL55 AMG, so anyone who redesigns it better make it perfect.  Unfortunately, Fisker's design falls far short of perfect...

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A little while back, we brought you a story about Smart Cars coming to America.  A few days ago we received an email from one of our readers pointing us to a plethora of Smart Car videos.  The videos depict the poor Canadian Smart Car being subjected to several crash tests, slalom tests and high speed tests.  We have to warn you, it may be difficult to watch if you have an affinity for the cute little guy.  Surprisingly, the Smart held up surprisingly well, even in a head on collision with a Mercedes E320.

You can view all the Smart Car movies here.  If you're having trouble watching the videos, make sure you have Windows Media player installed, and try downloading them onto your computer before viewing them...

Keep Reading "Death Of A Smart Car"

If you're tired of paying for ridiculously overpriced gas (I'm currently paying $.50 over the national average), you have two options:

A) Next time you're filling up, pick up a pump nozzle, spray gas all over the place, light a match and burn that money-sucking black hole known as a gas station to the ground.  All of this to display your utter distaste for the corporate mongrels that comprise the oil industry. Or...

B) Buy an old Mercedes 300 station wagon and convert it to run on vegetable oil.

Two environment-loving Virginia Tech students chose the safe route and decided to pursue their dream of an oil-fueled vehicle.  In the pursuit of their quest, the pair bought a 1983 Mercedes 300 wagon. To transform the little jewel, they then took it to Greasel Conversions, a Missouri based company that specializes in building conversion kits that allow cars to run on old grease.  A few thousand dollars later, their Mercedes wagon runs on oil donated by Chinese and Japanese restaurants (fast food chains use lower quality oil and aren't as willing to donate it).  Another oil lover, Abraham Mwaura, added the same conversion kit to his 1999 Volkswagen Jetta and now manages to squeeze 50 mpg out of it...

Keep Reading "How To Fight High Gas Prices"

As you've probably heard by now, the International Auto Show (IAA) is taking place in Frankfurt on September 15.  If you don't know much about the show, it's Germany's largest trade fair, generating more than one million visitors in a ten day span.  The IAA dates back more than one-hundred years, and Mercedes has always used it as a launching platform to showcase their new models.

This year, Mercedes is planning the largest exhibit of the show, an effort that has taken 650 employees 56 days to complete.  In celebration of this year's event, Mercedes has released a retrospective press release looking back at almost 100 years of Mercedes at the IAA.

We've included many of the photos from previous shows, so sit back, relax and enjoy.  And if you're on a dial-up connection, go grab a snack while you're waiting...

Keep Reading "History Of Mercedes And The International Automobile Show"

If you're a fan of MTV's show "Pimp My Ride," now you too can pimp your own ride courtesy of Delphi.  Over the next seven years, Delphi will supply Mercedes with up to 12,000 "infotainment" seats, as they're so descriptively called, for the new R-Class and M-Class models.  The entertainment system will consist of a 7" TFT display, a shock resistant DVD player (in case your kids try to play football with it), a remote control, and two sets of wireless headphones.  The "infotainment" seats will be offered as an option directly through Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH, and will be available with the release of the two previously mentioned models...

Keep Reading "Delphi Wants To Pimp Your Ride"